Display device



Aug. 31 1926.

J. MOSKOVITZ DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Nov. 4, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l /N VENTO/i Maslow? J. MosKoVlTZ v DISPLAY DEvIcEv Filed Nov. 4, 1924 v 2 sheets-sheets fig/0 l! 27 zz /IY VI/V TOR.'

Patented Aug. 31, 1926.

UNITED STATES JACOB MosKovITz, or enassronr, iSENNsYLvANIA.

DISPLAY DEVICE.

Application filed November 4, 1924. Serial No. 747,729.V

This invention relates to display devices and more in particular to anti-theft display devices used in stores to prevent so called shop-lifting.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide a display device of artistic appearance having a series of locking means for the goods to be displayed, said means being adapted to be easily opened simultaneously from a central point. Another object is to provide a device which can be easily modied to serve for the display of various kinds of goods, such as neckties, ribbons, hosiery and so forth. AA further object is to vproduce a device in which the individual locking. means are adapted to adjust themselves vautomatically to the varying thickness of the goods held by them. Additional features and advantages of this invention may appear from the following description considered in connection` with the accompanying drawings, in which: l

Fig. 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, showing the preferred embodiment of my display device. l

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a-section taken on line 3--3, in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fractional view, partly in section, showing the central operating mechanism of the device.

Fig. 5 isa cross-section of the operatingl showing the lock Fig. 10 is a fractional view showing a` detail of construction of the locking lever.

Fig. 11 is a cross-section taken on line 11, Fig. 10.

Referring to the drawings, it will be noted that my device consists of a` series of locking means `1 disposed concentrically aboutthe central post. 2V of a. stand 3 and mounted upon a preferably polygonal base 4- secured at the upper end. ofsaid stand.

All *the locking means are built alike andI each comprises a pair of" guide-bars 5 securely held on the base 4 by means of nuts 6, engaging the suitably threaded linner ends of said guide-bars. The latter are connected at their outer ends by means 4,

of the front plate 7, held by the ornamental nuts 52, in order to 'add to their rigidity and maintain their parallel alignment. 1

Guided by said guide-bars is a clamping plate 8vto which is centrally secured a substantially horizontalpush-rod 9 havingat its inner end Aan upwardly bent lportion 10 provided with an aperture 11 which is engaged by the inner end 12 of a coiled ten- M sionspring 13. The front end 14 of the latter is hooked in a hole 15 cut in a lug 16 preferably formed kintegral with the base 4 bythe process of stamping and bending. rlhe push-rod is additionally guided for horizontal reciprocating movement by a snug fitting aperture cut in said base.

Suitably located uponA the push-rod and permanently secured thereto by rivets 17 is a downwardly directed stirrup 18 having in each of its two legs a guide-slot 19 of adequate length and open at the bottom. These slots are engaged by a pin 20 driven tightly in the elbow portion of the operating L.-shaped lever` 21, the shorter arm 22 of which is rockably mounted upon apin 23 secured in two depending `and parallel lugs 24 stamped out of the base 4 and adtially horizontal when the clamping plate is in its closed position, as shown in Fig; 6, and terminatesrin an upward curve having a rounded tip 26.

1n order to prevent the accidental falling out of the pin20, the latter is preferably provided with an enlarged portion or flange 27y of greater diameter than the width of the slots 19 and of the same thickness as the operating lever. By using this construction, it will be Vseen that even though this pin should become loose in the op'eratinglever, it will always be kept in its proper place by the legs of the stirrup; The central operating mechanism for operating simultaneously all the operating levers is mounted upon they central post 2. The latter lis preferablymade of-tubing in Vwhich a longitudinal slot 28 "of suitable length and location hasbeen cut. Slidably mounted upon thecentral post` is a sleeve substantially semi-circular plater32 which is l bent downwardly along the curved edge to increase its stiffness and also to facilitate the initial gliding movement of the tips 2G along its under-side.

The lower end of said sleeve is inserted in a thimble 33, preferably knurled outwardly to secure a better grip for the hand and held for rocking movement upon the sleeve by means of a set-screw 34 having a reduced extension 35 passing through an oblong aperture 36 cut in the sleeve and engaging the longitudinal slot 28. The latter is provided at the top and bottom with the lateral recesses or notches 37 and 38 which are engaged by the set-screw for the purpose of holding the operating mechanism in eitherv one of its eXtreme positions.v The aperture 36 is made oblong to allow the rocking of the thimble independently of the sleeve 29 and connected parts.`

The lower ends of the four legs of the stand 3 andthe central post 2 are secured in a spider comprising four spokes 39 riveted att-he center to the plate 40, to which the central post is secured by means of the nuts 41 and 42. The outer extremities of these spokes are drilled to receive the legs of the stand and have downwardly bent portions 43 through which are passed the bolts 44L to securely hold said legs in place. A cross bar 45 is also used to connect the two eX- treme legs of the stand'and the central post to give the device additional rigidity.

The device is also stiffened at the top by means of suitably curved radial stays 46 having one of their ends secured to the inside of the base 4 in any Vdesired manner, while the other ends are riveted to the top plate 47 secured to the center post by means of the nut 48 yand the knob 5l. The open spaces between the various stays are preferably covered up by means of suitably shaped shields 49 to improve the general appearance of the device and hide the several parts ofthe operating mechanism of the locking means and thus protect them against tampering by evil minded persons.

These shields are held in place by means of Vsmal-l lugs 50 provided in the stays.

The central post is kprovided at the top with a knob 5l which is held by the operator to stabilize the device while he operates the central operating mechanism and which also serves to Vimprove the appearance of the device.. e l n; v

- The method of operating my display device is substantially as follows.

Assuming that the locks l be in their closed position and that an' operator wishes to open them to either remove or vintroduce some` goods, he firstigrips with one hand thel operating thimble 33, gives it a slighttwist to the left to'y disengage the, set-screw 34 .from .the notch `37 and thenY pulls the whole central operating mechanism down as far k.for simultaneously as the slot 28 will permit. I-Ie then gives the thimble a slight turn to the right to cause'the set-screw to engage the notch 38, thereby locking the operating mechanism in its lowermost position. As will be readily understood, the downward movement of the operating mechanism causes the various operatinolevers 2l' to open their corresponding locking means thus allowing the operator to insert or remove the goods. To close the locks, the thimble is turned to the left and the central operating mechanism is then forced up into the closed position heretofore stressed springs 13.

While I have lillustrated and described herein the preferred embodiment of my invention7 and onefwhich I have found in actual vuse to be very practical, it may be thought necessary or desirable after continued use to make slight changes in the construction and arrangement of the details of my invention, and I intend to include in this application all such variationsas fall within the scope of the appended claimsf l. In a display device of the character described. a plurality of` concentrically disposed locking means. aunitary base therefor; each of saidlocking means comprising a pair ofparallel guide bars7 a front plate by the permanently connecting same and a clamping plate reciprocably movable betweensaid guideba'rs and having a. centrally disposed push rod; a spring member connected 4to 'said push rod and normally holding-.said

posed locking means; a base therefor; eachV of said locking means comprising a'pair of parallel guide bars; a front plate permav nently connecting same-and a clam-ping plate reciprocably movableV betweensaid :guide bars rand having a centrally disposed'horizontal push rod; a spring member connected to said push rod and normallyiholding said clamping plate Aagainst said front plate; a

-stirrup dependingv from-said push rod and havingulongitudinal slots provided therein; a substantially L-shaped lever; a fulcrum cured insaid lever and engaging said slots; means provided on said pin to prevent the Aaccidental .falling out thereof fromfsaid leverandcentrally disposed unitary means opening said locking means. Y Y' I 3. In a display device of the character deytherefor positioned on,A said base; a pin se-A scribed, a plurality of ooncentrically disposed looking means; a base therefor; a stand for said base comprising a plurality of legs and a central post; each of said looking means comprising a pair of parallel guide bars; a front plate permanently connecting saine anda clamping plate reeiproeably movable between said guide bars and having a centrally disposed horizontal push rod; a spring member connected to said push rod and normally holding said clamping plate against said front plate; a stirrup depending from said push rod and having longitudinal slots provided therein; a substantially L- shaped lever having a short vertical arm and a long horizontal arm terminating with an upward bend; a fulerunl for said lower arm positioned on said base; a pin secured in said lever and engaging said slots, and an operating plate longitudinally movable along said central post and adapted to aet upon he upward bend of each of said L-shaped levers to simultaneously open said locking means.

In testimony whereof I atliX my signature.

JACOB MosKovITZ. 

